


Two Words, New Hopes

by Vivien



Category: Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: F/M, Force Bond Shenanigans, Mild Sexual Content, Post The Last Jedi, Renperor, Sleepy Cuddling, Supreme Leader Kylo Ren isn't so bad, Unexpected Pregnancy, no dwelling on reylo baby, no gritty biological details
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-14
Updated: 2018-02-14
Packaged: 2019-03-18 04:57:24
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,700
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13674711
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Vivien/pseuds/Vivien
Summary: A surprise pregnancy changes everything for Rey and Supreme Leader Kylo Ren.





	Two Words, New Hopes

**Author's Note:**

  * For [AceQueenKing](https://archiveofourown.org/users/AceQueenKing/gifts).



_Now_

Rey’s stare alternated between the door of  the makeshift examination room and the small window overlooking the thick forest by the Deseren base. She startled when the door slid open. The doctor smiled despite the shadows under her eyes as she stepped into the room and gazed down at her datapad. Rey fiddled with the edge of one flowing wraps.

“I’ve never been sick, really,” Rey babbled. “On Jakku, if you got sick, you might as well be dead.” She didn’t know what it would mean now, on this outpost where the Resistance forces gathered and built strength, slowly, slowly, day by day.

“You’re pregnant,” the doctor said, “which explains the fatigue and the nausea. All your tests show levels where they should be. You’re not sick.”

“W-what?”

“You’re not sick. You’re pregnant.”

“But-“ Rey’s eyes widened. Shit. Shit shit _shit_ shit shit.

“Our facilities here are limited, but we can handle termination of the pregnancy easily. If that’s not what you want, there are a few of us rebel scum with a bun in the oven. I can connect you with them if you need support.”

Rey’s mouth hung agape. She tasted the stale air of the room on her tongue. “Do I- Do I have to decide right now?”

“No, but you should probably decide soon. It looks like you’re only about seven weeks along. Look, I wish I had time to counsel you on options and help you, but I have to get back to the wards. I’m sorry. Being a doctor during a war… not what I hoped for when I was in medical school.” She gave Rey a curt smile and strode towards the door.

“Stay in here a few minutes if you need to. I can send a droid in, if you need to talk options?”

Rey shook her head no and watched the door close. She stared down at her abdomen, which seemed perfectly normal – flat and muscular under her clothes.

She was kriffing _pregnant_.

 

_Three standard months ago_

Kylo Ren lurked at the other end of their connection. His misery bled through in waves. Rey ignored him as best as she could, and it wasn’t hard to do while helping the remnants of the Resistance regroup. She usually worked so hard that when she was able to finally fall asleep, she met a peaceful blackness devoid of dreams.

But the nights when she couldn’t sleep… those were another thing altogether.

_Please._

She tossed on her pallet, mindful to not make too much noise. Sleepers surrounded her in hammocks and on pallets. Rose’s pallet was next to her with Finn sleeping deeply on his beside Rose, his hand covering the still healing woman’s shoulder protectively.

Rey sat up, sighed, and slowly, quietly tiptoed out of the room and into the darkness of the Deseren night. The sky glowed dark green with the stars and the other moons sparkling in a lighter shade. She walked a ways into the forest of evergreens. Rey leaned her forehead against one of the trunks and breathed in deeply.

_Please._

He was going to drive her mad. He’d be the victor no matter what she did, or how long she blocked the bond between them.

“All right,” she shouted into the night. “All right, fine, you’re driving me karking mad.”

Everything went quiet and there he was, standing before her, face pale and drawn. His wounds had healed but the dark circles under his eyes lingered.

“What?” She crossed her arms, summoning all of her hatred and annoyance, names of people – good people – lost echoing in her mind.

“Thank you,” he finally said, closing his eyes.

“We’re not friends. You made your choice.”

“I know.”

Silence hung between them under the dark green shadows. She hissed a curse in Huttese and glared up at him. “What? What do you want?”

His brow creased. He looked down, and then back up, staring at her lips a moment before meeting her eyes. “I just needed to see you. Talk to you. I _am_ sorry. I am.”

Rey scoffed. “Tell that to the people you’ve slaughtered. I’ve heard such glowing reports. That rebellion on Corellia? Well done.”

“Have you heard any of the good things?” His voice rose, but his eyes remained dark and sad. “Or do you ignore that? We’ve crushed the spice cartels. Slavery rings have been rooted out and destroyed, captives helped back home.”

“Except for any children needed for your Stormtrooper program.”

“No. That’s stopped, too. I stopped it.”

She regarded him warily. “Hurrah for you,” she bit out. “That makes everything else all better.”

“You could still join me. I want… I want so much more than you think I do.”

“Oh, I’m sure you do,” Rey spat, anger washing over her. It was not only directed at him, but at the hopeful glimmer that unfurled within her. She turned away, forcing the connection closed from her end. As she regained control over her breathing, the trembling left her fingers, and she knew they would be talking again.

***

The first time they touched since they fought for their lives in Snoke’s throne room was an accident. That was what Rey needed to believe. They bumped into each other as Rey paced under the green glow of the night sky and the connection unexpectedly opened. She should have drawn away, made space between their bodies, but his hands were on her shoulders to steady her before she could.

A shiver jittered down her spine and she stepped closer. His arms opened to draw her in. She rested her head against his chest as his arms encircled hers and she wished that things could be different.

“I do, too,” Kylo Ren murmured into her hair. “I wish that, too.”

They stayed that way longer than they should have, but not one moment less than Rey wanted.

 

_Two standard months ago_

Rey dragged Ben down to the floor of his chambers like a tusk cat at a gualama’s throat.  He groaned as she straddled him and pushed him onto his back, his body thwacking against the hard durasteel.  She ground her wet heat down against his erection, and they both gasped.

Conversations had led to touches. Touches led to embraces. Embraces led to this. It was so easy to let it happen. For one thing, when they lost themselves in pleasure, there was far less confusing discussion and no time to think about hopes or possibilities.

***

Their night cycles synched one night when the connection flared open. Rey felt the press of a heavy body beside her, felt the heat of his sleeping form engulf her as she lay on her pallet. He turned to her, eyes bleary and mouth soft.

“Sorry,” he mumbled, his voice a deep rumble that resonated through her.

“Shhh.” She held a finger to his lips. He pursed them in what could only be a kiss. She didn’t move away.

“Can we pretend we’re dreaming?” He whispered to her, his eyes closed. “Please?”

She was silent for a few long moments, until his eyelids fluttered open. He looked at her like she was the only thing that could save him, and she knew she was.

“Yes,” she breathed, and when he wrapped his arms around her, cradling her body to his chest, she sighed.

He was gone when the morning light flickered through the windows of the sleeping quarters.

 

_7 standard weeks ago_

“You come to me more than I can come to you,” Rey said, her back scraping against the rough bark the tree he’d pushed her back against.

“It’s better where you are,” he said, kissing a line down her throat.

“You don’t know where I am,” she scoffed, wrapping her legs more tightly around his body as she bared her throat.

“It’s not _where_ you are. It’s…” He glanced up. “I can’t explain. I just want to be with you here. Not there.”

“Why stay there then?” She nipped at his jaw, laving her tongue over the freshly shaved flesh in a path up to his earlobe. She suckled it, listening for his inevitable gasp.

“Because…” he said, his voice rough, “Because there are things I must do. Things I have to set right.”

Rey frowned, angry at herself more than she was at him. “Forget I asked.” She tugged his mouth to hers, and their conversation ended.

 

_Two standard weeks ago_

Rey would never have guessed that Kylo Ren enjoyed post coital cuddling. They had discovered a cave tucked back a ways in the forest, and she had snuck blankets in to spread over the cool dirt and pine needles. She dreamed of this on the nights the Force didn’t allow them to see each other. But she didn’t have to dream tonight; he was wrapped around her like a Marlollian octopus, all soft edges and sighs.

Her stomach clenched suddenly and she shoved his arms off of her, kicking out from under his legs as she stood and staggered quickly to the entrance of the cave. She tried to be as quiet as she could as she retched up the tiny dinner she’d forced down earlier that night.

Kylo sat up, watching her with worry. “You said that’s been happening a lot. Sweetheart, please let me help. I could, I don’t know, maybe bring a med droid to check you out. Is your water supply safe?”

She nodded her head, wiping her mouth. “It’s fine. I’m just… I’ll get checked out. I promise. I’m sure it’s nothing.”

But she wasn’t sure. She’d never been sick besides episodes of weakness that came from not enough food and too much exertion.

He watched her so gravely that she had to laugh. She nestled onto his lap and he wrapped the blanket around them.

“I wanted to show you something,” he said, kissing her shoulder. “Will you let me?”

“Something about there? I don’t know. It’s better not to.”

“Please? Just one thing?” An almost smile played on his lips. She pulled away to watch his face, his dear, dreaded face.

“All right.”

Kylo used the Force to pull his data pad to his hand. He activated it and showed her what was on the screen. Rey stared at a complex of new construction in a desert, low wings spreading over ground encircling an inner courtyard with a well.

When Rey glanced at him, puzzled, he said, “It’s an orphanage. We’re building many of them to make sure that children are kept safe. This one is on Jakku. There are carers there, droid and human, that teach reading, mathematics, and trades, to make sure children don’t have to grow up how you did.”

Rey stared at the datapad. Then she stared at Kylo.

“It’s not…” he began and then trailed off. “Ultimate power isn’t my goal. Order and safety, people having what they need to care for themselves and their families, that’s what I want. That’s what I’m making happen.”

She shook her head, because while she knew that he was earnest, she also knew that order and safety without freedom was a terrible trade. But then she tucked herself back into his arms, wondering what it would have been like to feel this safe ten years ago.

 

_Three standard days from now_

Rey walked aimlessly through the forest, wandering past their cave, past the landmarks she knew, pushing on and on. She hadn’t let the connection open in the past few days. Not since finding out.

But she needed him. So she walked and when she didn’t want to walk any longer, she stopped and opened herself to the Force.

Kylo frowned when he stepped into the clearing beside her.  “What’s the matter?” His voice was soft, even if his expression was not.

Rey glanced at him, and then shook her head. “I don’t- I’m not sure if I can tell you. Just finding the words is…” She trailed off, waving a hand vaguely in the air.

“Are you hurt?” He took a hesitant step towards her, his arms opening to her.

She stepped into his embrace, closing her eyes as his arms tightened around her. “No, nothing like that.”

He stroked her hair with one hand and she fell silent. “I was worried.”

When he rested his chin on her head with a sigh, Rey found the words. Two of them were all she needed, after all. “I’m pregnant.”

Kylo went still, and she could sense his confusion through the Force. “What?”

“I’m with child,” she mumbled into his chest. “In the family way. Knocked up.”

Their emotions tangled with each other, vines twining in equal parts anxiousness, bafflement, and, flickering like a candle in a darkened room, something that felt a lot like eagerness, happiness. Then a cloud passed between them, and Rey sensed the old pain from rejection, the anger welling up within Kylo despite himself.

“It’s yours, you complete kriffing idiot,” she said, punching him in the arm, but there was no anger behind it. She nestled her face deeper into the black quilted fabric of his tunic. “There’s no one else for me, Ben.”

He exhaled a shaky sigh and held her and the cloud dissipated.

“I didn’t think this could be… physically possible,” he finally said, a touch of wonder in his voice. “What do you want to do?”

Rey was silent a few moments more. “I don’t know.” She paused, her thoughts swirling. She took a deep breath.  “No, I _do_ know. I want this child, and I want to have a family with you, and I want to run away, and I want this not to be happening.”

Kylo pressed a kiss on the top of her head. “Yeah, I know exactly how you feel.”

“What are we going to do?”

He lifted her chin, gazing into her eyes as they filled with tears. “I don’t know. Whatever you need. Whatever you decide.”

“You won’t run away with me,” she said, a statement and not a question.

“You won’t run away with _me_ ,” he replied.

She shook her head no, biting back the tears.

“But what if…” his voice trailed off.

“What if what?”

“When I asked to join me, the first, disastrous time, I meant what I said about letting the First Order and the Resistance die. They don’t work. They haven’t worked for a long time. I see that clearly now. What if… What if we tried to make something new? Something, I don’t know, in between the two extremes?”

“With you still as Supreme Leader?” she said, her brow knitting together in frustration.

“Maybe to start with. Every day I hate Hux and his ilk more and more. Their way won’t work. But there has to be someone powerful enough to stand against them. We need a new kind of government where, instead of two sides locking horns and never getting anything done, action is taken. People are helped. Corruption has less of a chance to take root.”

Rey gaped at him. “Are you serious?”

He nodded. “I may fail. They may kill me for trying. But for you… For you, I’d risk it. If you joined me, I know we wouldn’t fail.”

“I need time to think,” she said after a few moments of stunned silence.

His surprised smile broke across his face like dawn after a night of storms. “You’re not saying no outright?”

She shook her head and nestled her face back into his tunic.

“I would tear the Galaxy down for you, Rey,” he murmured into her hair, “If you would help me build it back.”

It was absurd. She shouldn’t even entertain the notion of joining with him. As she reached out with the Force and allowed herself to feel, for the first time, the sparkle of life glowing inside her, Rey laughed.

It was the only thing that might work, at this point. Throwing away the old ways to remake them into new. She had no idea how they’d go about it, how she could convince the others, whether she and Kylo could do anything positive, for the Galaxy, for their _child._ It was ridiculous to even consider.

Absurdity was their only hope.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you to my betas, ReyloTrashCompactor and Thereminn for helping me gain confidence in this story and tweak it just right.


End file.
